Changeable sign.



c. c. BAKER & E. A. CHANDLER.

' CHANGEABLE SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.'30. I916.

Patented Jan. 1,1918.

o 52 fat? I 26 F1 i T! I 152 a Inventorsmrnn sra'rns FPATENT OFFICE. I

CLARENCE c. BAKER, or ALAMEDA, AND EARL A. CHANDLER, or SAN FRANCISCO,

CALIFORNIA.

GHANGEAIBLE SIGN.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CLARENCE C. BAKER and EARL A. CHANDLER, citizens ofthe United States, residing, respectively, at Alameda, in the county ofAlameda and State of California, and San Francisco, in the county of SanFrancisco and State of California, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Changeable Signs, of which the following is aspecification.

The object of the present invention is to provide a device forexhibiting signs, and especially for indicating characters denoting thetare weights of railroad cars, which shall be simple and cheap inconstruction, compact in form, and can be easily changed to exhibitdifferent signs as; desired.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a front view of our improvedtare weight indicator; Fig. 2 is a rear View-thereof; Fig. 3 is asectional ,view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4'is a similar view, theparts of the indicator being extended; Fig. 5 is a section on the line5'5 of Fig. ,3; Fig. 6 is a section on'theline 66 of Fig. 4; Fig.7 is anenlarged broken detail view ofasign card; Fig. 8v is a sectional view onthe line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Referrin -to the drawing, 1 indicates a board forming part of the sideof a car, to which is secured, by screws 2, a rectangular plate or frame3, having flanged'portions 4, the edges of whichrest against theboard 1. From standards 6 projecting from the face of the plate near theends of its lower edge extend at right angles studs 7, on whicharepivoted arms 8, the outer portions '9 of which are of reduced width.Near the outer'ends of said outer portions'9 and of the inner portionsof the arms are secured to said arms cross bars 11, which aresemi-circular in cross section through almost their entire length and towhich are secured, by screws 12, cross bars 13 which arealsosemi-circular in cross section, so that the two partswhen placedtogether form a round'compound bar. Each of these barsll, 13 has securedthereto, or formed integral therewith, semi-circular plates or disks'14having flanges 15, so that the bars when placed together have thereonround 'fiangedrings or disks. By means of said flanges 15 there aresupported upon the several disks sheets 17 of metal or other suitablematerial, each sheet being crimped at the top, as shown at 18, for

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J an, 1 1918,

Application filed September 30, 1916. Serial No. 123,034. r i

greater strength and having, near the top edge, rectangular recesses 19opening through said top edge by narrow openings 21. The openings 21 areof just sufficient width to permit the disks, but not the flanges, topass therethrough, while the recesses are of sufiicient width to permitthe flanges to pass therethrough.

The sheets are placed in position engaging the flanges 15 of the plates14 of the bar 11, and then the bar 13 is secured to the bar 11 so thatthe metal sheets can revolve on said flanges throughout their wholecircum ferenoe. Each of the upper groups of sheets displays only thenumerals 0 to 9, as shown at 23, but the right-hand of the lower groupsof sheets displays characters 24 indicating the month and year when thecar was weighed and the left-hand groups each display the letters of thealphabet, as shown at 25, indicating by its initial or terminal lettersthe place where the car was last weighed. There are therefore many moresheets in the lower groups than in the upper. For this reason the lowerdisks are'of greater diameter than the upper disks and the lower portionof the plate 3 is recessed or closer to the board 1 than the upperportion. The plate is formed with holes 26 to receive said disks.

Pivoted on the studs 7, outside the'arms 8, are the lower ends'of arms27, the upper ends of which are pivotally connected, as shown at 28, tothe sides or flanges of a cover 29, which incloses the sheets and plate3. Said cover 29 is formed with rectangular holes 31 throughwwhich thecharacters 23, 24, 25 are exhibited and is pressed out, as shown at 32,to receive'the disks. 1

The cover is held in position close tothe signs by means of upper andlower latches 33,34, which engage lips 35, 36 extending inwardly fromthe flanges of the cover. The lower latch 34 has astem 37 V which slidesin a-guideway 38 secured to the backof the plate 3 and is pressedoutwardly by a coiled spring 39 within said guideway and com: pressedbetween the inner ends of the stem and guideway. To said latch 34 issecured a rod 41 pivoted, as shown at 42, to an arm of a lever 43,pivoted, as shown at 44, on the back of the plate-3, the other arm'lofsaidlever being connected rigidly to a stem 46 of the latch 33.

To remove the cover a sufficiently long instrument, as a chisel, taperedto a blunt 1 ally connected to said cover end is inserted between thelower flange 29 and the board 1 and the outer end of the instrument ispressed toward the side of the car, so that the inner end is raised, thethick portion of the instrument serving as a fulcrum. The movement ofthe lip 36 against the beveled face of the latch forces the latchinward, and'also forces the latch 83 upward. This action frees the lip36 from the latch 34:, so that the cover is free both at top and bottomand can be raised so as to permit of free accessto the sheets 17 torevolve the same upon the disks, and to change the character'of the signexhibited.

Secured upon the upper flange at of the plate 3 isa cylindrical casingin. which is received a stem 51, upon which is wound a sheet of paper orthe like material, upon wh ch is marked other information inregard tothe car.

, We claim:

1. In a device of the. character described, the combination of a plateprovided with means for securing it to a board or the like, arms pivotedto swing to and from saidplate, cross bars carried by said arms, ringscarried by said cross bars, sheets exhibiting characters revoluble onsaid rings, a cover for said sheets having openings through which saidcharacters are visible, and arms pivotally connected to said cover andto said plate.

2;v In a device. of the character described, the combination of a plateprovided with means for securing it to a board or the like, arms pivotedto swing to and from saidplate, cross bars carried bysaid arms, ringscarried by said cross bars, said plate having recesses to receivesaid'rings, sheets exhibiting characters. revoluble on said rings, acover for said sheets having openings through which said characters arevisible, and arms pivotally connected to said cover and to said plate.

7 In a device of the character described,

the combination of. a plate provided with means for securing it to aboard or the like", arms pivoted to swing to and from said plate, crossbars carried by said arms, rings carried by said cross bars and havingflanges, sheets exhibiting characters having recesses engaging saidrings and flanges, a cover for said sheets having openings through whichsaid characters are: visible, and arms 'pivotand to said plate. 7 1 4..In a device ofthe character described, the combination of a'plateprovidedwith means for securing it to aboard or the like,

arms pivoted to swing to and from said plate, cross bars carried by saidarms, each comprising two longitudinally divided sections, rings havingflanges and carried by said cross bars and also divided, part beingcontained on each bar section, sheets exhibiting characters havingrecesses. engagin said rings and flanges, a cover for "sai sheets havingopenings through which said characters are visible, and arms pivotallyconnected to said cover: and. to said plate. I

In. a device of the character described, the combination of plate.provided with means for securing it to a board or the like, arms pivotedto swing to and from said plate, cross bars carried by said arms, ringscarried by said cross bars, sheets exhibiting characters i-evoliuble onsaid rings, a cover for said. sheets having openingsv through which saidcharacters are visible, arms pivotally connected to; said cover and tosaid plate, latches movably secured on the back of said plate, and lipson. the under side f said cover engaged by saiidlatches.

6 In a device of the character described,

the combination: of a plate provi ded with means for securing it to aboard or the like, armspivoted to swing to and from said plate, crossbars carried by said arms, rings carried by said cross bars, sheetsexhibiting characters revoluble'" onsaid rings, a cover for said sheetshaving openings throug h which said characters are: visible, arms. pix"-ota-lly connected to said cover and tosaid. plate,- latchessecuredmovably inunison on the back of said plate, one 04? said latcheshaving a part adaptedi to-be moved by a; thin blade inserted betweensaid cover and the boardupon which the: plate is securedt, and lips onthe under side? of said cover' engagaed by said latches.

'Z. In a device. ofithe character. described, the. combination of aplate provided. with means for securing it to a board or the like, arms.pivoted to swing to and from said plate, crosse'bars caarried. by saidarms,- rings carried by said cross. bars, sheets exhibitirrgcharactersrevoluble on said rings, a cover forsaid sheets openings through whichsaid: characters are visible, armspivotally connected to said cover andto said plate, latches secured: movably" in unison on back ofsaid"plarte,a spring. for operatively' moving, said latches, and lips onthe under side oi saidcover engaged by said: latches.

CLARENCE C. BAKER. EARL A-n EDHNDLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for'five' cents each, byadflrssingthe Commissioner of Patent;

7 Washington, .D-a-C.

